I know I already posted today, but I was on our friend's blog, and found this article again, and wanted to share it with you. May we pray carefully about what we are devoting our time to-me, first and foremost. Since I don't know how to link (I am NOT computer savy), I just copied the article and pasted it here. I'm not sure if that's legal, but I'm sure Brad and Carrie won't mind! (www.happymills.com) Warning: you may be convicted-I know I am!
"You cannot serve both God and the remote control.
You’ve been in my shoes if you’ve ever sat down to pray and found yourself daydreaming of things you still need to get done, things you’ve already done, or things you wish you could do. Our minds are so easily distracted by that which merely offer us temporary joy. As a result, it is the things of eternal value that we are the least willing to pay for.
We have it rough here in America. We have too many entertaining options to distract us from giving our full attention to God. The moment we’re able to prepare our minds for prayer, the phone rings or the kitchen timer dings.
Every day we war with our flesh to determine how we will spend our time. Our Goliath enemy is the television, who’s relentless shouts of mockery sideline us from ever entering the battle.
Would we rather abide with the Savior of our lives or The Days of Our Lives? Are we more interested in Grey’s Anatomy than the God of Eternity? Do we compromise and watch Desperate Housewives? Or would we rather learn what it means to be satisfied servants? We rarely turn from American Idol to serve the living and true God. We would rather be Lost for an hour than redeem an hour with the One who found us?
We need to make sure that we aren’t sacrificing the much weightier issues of spiritual growth. And that we aren’t shamelessly enduring blasphemous and God belittling talk for fleeting pleasures. Lest you feel I’m going overboard in my assessment consider these challenging words from a book called Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper: (see photo above)
“A mind fed daily on TV diminishes. Your mind was made to know and love God. Its facility for this greater calling is ruined by excessive TV. The content is so trivial and so shallow that the capacity of the mind to think worthy thoughts withers, and the capacity of the heart to feel deep emotions shrivels.”
Psalm 84:10 says, “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.” Let me put this verse into perspective for you. At that ratio, spending one hour on our knees before God is better than watching all the episodes of Friends, Law and Order, The Simpsons, That 70s Show and dare I say 7th Heaven combined. "
4 comments:
I didn't even know you started a blog. Thanks for letting me know you were encouraged by the post.
Yes, Brad. I wasn't blog-worthy enough to post anything on Shane's blog. He said he will watch and one day I may be "link-worthy." This is my goal. It may take my entire life, but I will succeed! :) It just gives me something to do now that I can't watch TV as much!
Except, right when I was done copying this article you wrote on my blog, Shane said, "come on, honey, 24 is on." I felt guilty, but it WAS the last episode of the season! And, the new episodes don't start until January 2007. What's that all about? What can I say, I am still growing in this area!:) Kari
It wasn't until about two months ago that I really gave the television up entirely. I was spending 10 hours a week watching all the major shows. I can finish an average sized book in that amount of time. So that's what I've been trying to do instead.
Watching in moderation isn't so bad, I just know that I don't moderate myself well. It's too tempting to flip channels for an hour watching nothing in particular.
My main point was that we shouldn't be sacrificing the weightier issues of life - like I was.
Glad you're encouraged Sunbeam!
Brad, I just really thought it was a great article. I don't struggle during the day, but at night when I'm tired....you know how it goes. Thanks for not only your blog, but your example. Kari
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